


You and Me (Against the World)

by JusteAmusant



Series: All is Not Lost [4]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Time Sex, Fluff and Angst, Former Hooker!Danny, M/M, Protective Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-14 21:17:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5759143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JusteAmusant/pseuds/JusteAmusant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Waking together the next morning was a slow, relaxed feeling that Danny held onto as long as he could. He stayed stock still in Steve’s embrace, afraid that the slightest movement would jostle the promise that Steve had made to him last night.<br/>He remembered Steve’s words, and convinced himself to believe them. Vowed that if Steve was wrong, if he couldn’t handle the truth, if he walked out on Danny after knowing what Danny still owed, then at least Danny could walk away from this with his integrity.</p><p> <br/>Danny finally tells Steve about his debt; what led him to hooking to make money, and together they fight to free Danny of his demons</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Parachute's 'You and Me'
> 
> Sorry this took so long, lovelies. I truly hope you enjoy. It was a crazy year. It's nice to be back!

Steve nuzzled his nose into Danny’s neck. “Danno.”  He gently kissed Danny’s collarbone.

Danny grunted.

Steve smiled against his shoulder. “Danno.” Another few kisses. “Wake up, baby.”

Danny burrowed his face deeper into his pillow, but also shimmied his butt back against Steve’s crotch. “Don’t wanna.”

Steve glided his hand down Danny’s arm, across his belly, and down to sneak under his pajama pants. He wrapped his hand around Danny’s half-hard cock. “You sure about that?”

Danny’s hips rolled forward. “Mmm.” He rolled onto his back and thrust up into Steve’s hand. “Yes. I mean no. I mean…” His words trailed into a moan.

Steve rose up over Danny, bracing himself on his elbows and dropping kisses onto Danny’s chest. His lips grazed over bruises that were faint but still visible to Steve, even after two weeks.  His hand continued to pump Danny, and he ground his own erection against the curve of Danny’s thigh.  He gasped when he felt Danny’s hand wrap around him.

Their eyes locked as they stroked each other, their hands working faster and in rhythm as they read each other’s facial expressions. Danny bit his lower lip in between his teeth and Steve’s head fell as they stroked and moaned together, their knuckles knocking as their hands worked each other.

“Danny.” Steve begged.

“Steve.” Danny panted.

They cried out at the same time, their come mixing, striping Danny’s stomach. Steve’s entire body went limp and he barely caught himself from completely smothering Danny.

Danny’s eyes drifted closed. “Do I even want to know what time it is?”

Steve dropped a kiss onto Danny’s lips. “Nope.” He smiled against Danny’s mouth. “I have to get ready for work. Come clean me off.” He got up and pulled on Danny’s hand.

“Clean _you_ off?” Danny put up only token resistance when Steve dragged him off the bed, shucking their pants as they walked. “I’m the one with come all over me.”

“Details.” Steve led him into the glass enclosed shower and turned the water on.

“Details, he says.” But Danny couldn’t help smiling. He muscled his way in front of Steve to stand directly in front of the spray. “Move. I’m dirty.”

Steve grabbed the soap and wrapped his arms around Danny from behind, gliding the bar across Danny’s torso. “Mmm, yes you are.” He said huskily.  His hands moved lower.

“Unbelievable. Sorry GI Joe, I’m still not back to one hundred percent yet. I’m gonna need at least one cup of coffee before we go another round. And, as much as it pains a young stud like me to admit, probably more sleep.”

Steve stiffened at Danny’s reference to his injuries. Almost healed though they may be, Steve couldn’t help clenching his fists upon being reminded of the pain someone had inflicted on his Danno.

“Steve. Hey.” Danny turned to face Steve, maneuvered them so that the hot spray could rain down on Steve.  He opened his arms. “I’m much better. See? You can barely see anything anymore.”

Steve shut his eyes and tipped his head back into the running water.

“Steve.”

“Hmm.” Steve ran shampoo through his hair.

“Steven.” Danny encircled his wrists. “Look at me.”

Steve ran his hands down his face and slowly did as Danny requested. He looked ridiculous, stubborn concern on his face and shampoo suds still coating half his hair.

“I know you like taking care of me, and I’m sorry you had to see me get hurt. But I promise babe, I am much better.  These bruises will heal, and it will be like it never happened.” Danny smiled his reassurance.

Steve stood under the water, looking at Danny like he’d grown three heads. “Like it never happened?” he sputtered. “Danny, someone beat you! You were alone, got caught off guard, and your past caught up with you. Someone _tortured_ you.  When you came home that day, you could barely stay on your feet.” Steve stared at him in disbelief. “Your safety, your _life,_ Danno, was threatened. Against my better judgment, I listened to your wishes and didn’t cart you off to the nearest hospital.  I was awake all night, terrified that you wouldn’t wake up the next morning. How can you say that never happened?”

Danny gently pushed Steve aside so he could stand under the spray and finish washing. “I didn’t say it didn’t happen, babe. I said I’m healing, and would like to move on as if it didn’t.”

“I fail to see the distinction.” Steve said curtly. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, handing Danny one as well.

They dried off in silence, Steve heading to the closet to throw on clothes for work.  The walk-in was almost as big as Steve’s bathroom. Danny shook his head, thinking for about the fiftieth time since Steve had moved him in how fortunate he was to stumble upon someone who wasn’t just kind, but freaking loaded.

Not that Danny was in any position to judge, or that he even cared. He would take Steve if he lived in a cardboard box off the H-1.

He followed Steve into the closet, still just wearing his towel. He watched Steve dress with quick, precise movements.

Danny remained calm. “I’m not used to this, okay? For years, there hasn’t been anyone. I took care of myself, and looked out for number one. It’s how I was able to survive. It’s how I was able to keep…“ He swallowed. “To keep doing what I did. No weakness, no emotion. And if shit happened, I put it away and moved on. You should at least be able to understand that part.”

Steve grunted. No, no one had to teach him about compartmentalization. His SEAL days had taught him enough of that.  He turned towards Danny. “I do. It’s just. It’s just different when it’s applied to someone else.”

Danny raised his eyebrows.

“Okay, maybe that doesn’t make sense.” Steve admitted. He walked closer to Danny. “But, Danno, you don’t have to do that anymore. You have me.”

Danny wrapped his arms around Steve. “I know. I know, babe, and I’m trying. I’m just not completely used to it yet. I’m not used to having someone care this much.” He looked up at Steve and said quietly, “or even at all.”

“God, Danno.” Steve pulled Danny close and crushed his mouth against his. His tongue raided Danny’s mouth, and he had practically lifted Danny off his feet before he ended the kiss.

“Steve.” Danny sighed into Steve’s mouth, brushing his lips across Steve’s one more time.

Steve gripped Danny’s chin in his hand. “No more. You’re not alone anymore, Danno. And you never will be again.”

 

A week later, Steve was no closer to finding out who or what was behind Danny’s reason for self-inflicted emotional lockdown. Danny had put himself behind a steel door of solitary confinement, and Steve’s hands were bruised with the effort to open it.

“Who is it, Danny?” Steve steeled his face into his best SEAL glare, but that never really went very far with Danny. “Who’s got this hold over you?”

Danny’s arms waved around. “He’s someone who helped me once, okay? Someone who kept my world from ending.” Danny ground out his next words. “He is someone that I owe. That _I_ owe, Steve. And I will pay back every goddamn cent because…” Danny swore. “Because if he hadn’t done what he did, there would be no reason for me to be here. I wouldn’t have gone on living.”

Steve listened to Danny’s broken explanation with equal parts anguish and frustration. “I have money, Danny, I have _resources._ Would you stop being so goddamn stubborn and just let me help you!”

“You can’t help me, Steve!” Danny exploded.  His shoulders slumped. “You can’t help me. It’s not just a monetary debt.” This is the only time Danny had spoken aloud the epic amount of shit he had dug himself into, and even though it was Steve standing in front of him- his friend, his lover, his goddamn _savior_ if Danny would let him be- Danny still had to force the words past his own throat. “Half the debt is cash. And half the debt is blood.”

Steve went quiet. They stood in silence for a good two minutes before he spoke again. “Why do you think I told you, the very first time I met you, what I did?”

Some of the anger on Danny’s face gave way to confusion. “What?”

Steve’s jaw worked, making way for the words about to carve their way out, words that once spoken could never be taken back. “The first time we met.” Steve pushed off from the counter, bringing his body closer to Danny’s.  “The first time we-“ Steve looked into Danny’s eyes, irises colored in with anguish, the lines of his face sketched with tormented strokes. Steve swallowed hard against the rush of emotion that flooded his entire soul when he looked at this man, the love that threatened to both keep him together and rip him apart every time their eyes locked, every time Steve’s skin touched Danny’s.  He gently slid his hands up Danny’s subtly shaking arms.

It was the time to choose his words with care and the time to use no filters. “The first time in the alley, Danny, the first time your mouth touched my body. I told you I had been a SEAL. Do you think that was just cocktail conversation? You think that was just small talk? It was a confession, Danny.”  Steve pressed his forehead to Danny’s, his eyes sliding closed. “It was penance, and you were my new religion.”

Danny choked out a panicked exhale. Steve swallowed before he continued speaking, before he continued to let the embers of his own demons flow from his body into Danny’s to spark a fire for Danny’s release. His words came out pounding like his heartbeat, in a staccato rhythm only he and Danny could hear. “I can’t tell you how many people I’ve killed, how many lives I’ve ended on the command from a higher order, a higher mission. I know the military probably has my stats but I’ve never looked. And I know, I _know_ it would be a conservative estimate.” He pulled back just far enough to search Danny’s eyes again. “Your hands aren’t the only ones stained with blood. The fact that you stay here, that you let me talk to you, touch you, feel you…” It was Steve’s turn to choke out a sob. “God, Danny, I am so lucky to have you. You chase away the darkness and you don’t even know it. You don’t even know what you do to me.”  He pulled Danny tight against his body, trading strength and breaths and secrets. “I’m so lucky to have you.” He repeated. He would say it as many times as it took for Danny to believe it. Steve brushed kisses over Danny’s cheeks, his eyes, his hair. Stopped just in front of his lips and whispered, “There is nothing you could tell me that will make me run.” His lips were a whisper on Danny’s. “You hear me? Nothing.”

The echo of Steve’s words pounded in his ears, his body tight and heavy but his soul somehow a little lighter after opening himself up so nakedly to Danny. Steve felt Danny’s hand grip his hips, felt his head being pulled down, thought he heard an anguished _Oh, God, Steve,_ before his mouth was crushed against Danny’s, lips crashing, teeth gnashing, tongues tangling with each of their efforts to delve further inside the other.  Steve’s hips crashed into Danny’s as he backed him into the counter, and he’s not sure whose breath he was inhaling as they gasped for air in between desperate kisses, fingers digging into each other’s bodies in a frantic effort to get closer, closer, _closer._   

“Danny. Danny.” Steve prayed, worshipped, begged. He raked his mouth down Danny’s jaw and nipped across his collarbone. He ground his erection against Danny’s, driving Danny’s hips into the counter. Steve shoved a hand down Danny’s borrowed sweatpants, palming Danny’s rapidly hardening cock and giving it a few strokes.

“Steve. God, yes, please _, Steve_.” He arched his back into Steve’s kisses and thrust into Steve’s hand.

It was only the second time they had touched since Danny’s beating, and Steve was hungry and desperate for it.  He sucked at Danny’s skin like a man starved, and when he dropped to his knees in front of Danny’s hot, rock hard cock, Steve opened his lips and took all of Danny in one swallow.

“Fuck, Steve, I can’t- _fuck,_ ” Danny moaned.

If Steve’s mouth hadn’t been full he might have smiled at how incoherent he could make Danny. Instead he tightened his lips, moaning around Danny’s hardness and letting him slide in, out, in, out, until Steve was bringing himself to the edge and had to press hand down onto his own cock to keep from coming. He felt Danny’s hands fist in his hair and tug, and Steve sucked him all the way down three more times before Danny tugged hard enough to make Steve pay attention.

He ripped his mouth off Danny’s wet, hard cock and growled. “What?”

Danny was panting, his breath shallow and uneven. “Not a blow job. Upstairs. For real. Now.”

Steve shot to his knees like someone lit a firecracker under his ass. He and Danny hadn’t actually had sex yet, Steve not wanting to push the envelope and inadvertently remind Danny of old business while trying to give pleasure. He licked his lips, still tasting Danny on them. Steve gripped Danny’s hips. “Are you sure?”

He felt the pulse of Danny’s slow smile. Danny made sure Steve was watching before slowly sliding a hand down his own torso to cup himself. Danny relished Steve’s pained moan as he stroked himself down and back up. He touched the tip of his cock with his index finger, picking up a drop of precome and painting Steve’s lower lip with it. Danny’s eyes burned blue fire as he watched Steve’s tongue dart out to lick his finger before slowly drawing it into his mouth.

Danny raked the pad of his finger across Steve’s teeth before taking it back and levering himself away from the counter. “Oh yeah,” he said silkily. “I’m sure.”

 

“Do it, Danny.” Steve panted later, body open and willing beneath Danny’s. “Do it. Whatever you need. There is nothing...nothing, that will change the way I feel about you. Nothing, Danny. Nothing that you have done, nothing that we do, nothing that you’ll do in the future.” His eyes pierced Danny’s, and he lifted Danny’s hands to touch his lips as Danny sank into him. Steve mouthed the words against Danny’s palm as Danny thrust into him. “Nothing, Danny. I love you. I love you so much.”

 

Waking together the next morning was a slow, relaxed feeling that Danny held onto as long as he could. He stayed stock still in Steve’s embrace, afraid that the slightest movement would jostle the promise that Steve had made to him last night.

He remembered Steve’s words, and convinced himself to believe them. Vowed that if Steve was wrong, if he couldn’t handle the truth, if he walked out on Danny after knowing what Danny still owed, then at least Danny could walk away from this with his integrity.

As the sun cast its golden warmth across their naked bodies, partially covered by sinfully luscious cotton sheets, Danny raised Steve’s hand to his lips and spoke the truth that would determine his next move. “I owe him a kill. He killed for me, saved my daughter’s life.” He pressed his lips to Steve’s knuckles, afraid it might be that last time he could taste that delicious, salty skin. “Silas has an order out for a hit. And I’m the delivery man.”

Danny felt Steve move before he heard him. He squeezed his eyes shut, ready for immediate rejection. Ready to find himself alone against cool cotton sheets.

Steve’s body turned, and in less than two seconds had completely enveloped Danny’s body from top to toes. Steve breathed against Danny’s neck, squeezed the hand that was holding his tight. “When and where, Danno?”


	2. Chapter 2

Danny blew out a teary, explosive exhale. “That’s it? That’s your…I tell you I have to kill a man, and your response reads like a birthday party invitation? When and where?”  Danny laughed out a sob. “You really are a crazy son of a bitch.” Danny sat up, the sheet rucked around his waist. “You’re law enforcement. You should be hauling my ass off to jail.”

Steve propped himself up on one arm and traced a pattern on Danny’s thigh with his fingertips. “You haven’t killed anyone yet, Danno.”

Son of a bitch was smirking.

Danny shot out of the bed, yanking on the pair of sleep pants that had been lying on the floor. “Well, there’s the whole prostitution thing.”

“Which I would be implicating myself in as well. Not such a hot idea for the head of Five-0.” Steve’s face turned serious as he watched Danny pace the room. “Look, Danny, I said together, and I meant it. You’re not alone in this. We can figure it out.”

“Mister problem-solver over here. What are you going to do, Steve, map out a mission, match up every piece of the blood-gunning puzzle, and then bam, achievement unlocked, beers are on us?” Danny made a sound of disbelief. “This is some real shit, Steve. You shouldn’t even be involved, shouldn’t be talking to me, associating with me, let alone letting me fuc-“

“Stop.” It was Steve’s turn to spring out of bed. He fisted the sheet at his waist, holding it against his body.  “Don’t, Danny. Don’t you dare degrade what we just did.” Steve’s eyes burned from a cool green to an angry blue grey. “Together. Real. I _meant_ it, Danny.” Steve’s voice was raw with anguish. His jaw was rigid, but his gaze slightly vulnerable as he pleaded with his lover. “Did you?”

Danny’s shoulders slumped. He pressed a hand to his forehead. “Of course I did. Which is why I don’t want you to be mixed up in this.” Danny fisted his hands in his messy, sleep and sex-rumpled hair. “Dammit.”

“Hey.” Steve edged closed to Danny and grabbed Danny’s hands in one of his. “I’m with you, babe. Like it or not. And hell yeah, you’re damn right I’m going to map out a mission. You, me, and my team. You’re going to tell us everything you know, and we are going to fix it.” Steve’s eyes bore into Danny’s. “Together.” Steve let his gaze run along Danny’s body, up, down, ending on their clasped hands. “Nothing in between.”

Steve dropped the sheet.

 

Steve keyed in his intel on the table computer, shooting mug shots and police reports up onto the overhead monitors for his team to see.  He recounted what Danny had told him that morning; two hours’ worth of backstory and information condensed into a quick ten minute briefing.

Danny watched as Steve’s teammates listened. There were no condescending glances, no filthy remarks, only tactical gazes and strategic suggestions.

Danny felt like he was on the force again, proudly wearing blue.

Except he wasn’t. He wasn’t a cop anymore, and this wasn’t his team. It was Steve’s, and he couldn’t put them in danger, couldn’t let them walk into this, couldn’t-

“Hey.” Steve snapped his fingers in front of Danny’s face. “You with us?” _You with me?_

Danny swallowed, squaring his shoulders. He looked around the table at Steve’s team, Chin and Kono and Grover, thanking each one in turn with his eyes, and a gracious gaze that said everything Danny couldn’t. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m with you.”

 

Danny followed Steve into the old barn, Chin at is six. Kono  was stationed just outside the uppermost window, perched on a ledge built onto the roof. None of her person, or her sniper rifle, was showing, but Danny heard Steve talk about her, knew how good she was, knew she was there, ready at a second’s notice.

Grover was stationed behind a wall of hay bales, SWAT gear on and earpiece in, ready to move at Steve’s first command.

Danny had called Silas the night before, telling him he was ready to settle his debt. Name the time and place, and I’ll be there. Yeah, alone.

Yeah, right.

But Silas wasn’t stupid. He knew not to underestimate Danny, not to expect that Danny would indeed show up solo.  

But Steve was smarter, his team well-trained, and Danny walked into the barn as Steve and Chin held back.

Silas emerged from behind a wooden post. “Daniel.”

Danny pasted on a fake smile. “Silas. You’re looking as disgusting as ever.”

“Skip the foreplay, Daniel, and let’s get to the good stuff. We still have a few minutes before our _friend_ gets here, so I thought you and I could talk business.” Danny tensed as Silas reached into his jacket.  “Relax, Jersey. Only sweetening the pot.” He pulled out a stack of bills, tossed them at Danny’s feet. “Hear you’ve been doing a lot of naughty, naughty things for a little extra cash these days, Jersey.” Silas’s eyes glinted. “How about a little friendly negotiation? Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to get on your knees. Unless of course, that’s what you want.”

Danny snarled. “Just bring him in, Silas. Conduct your fake meeting, trap the bastard, and let’s get this over with.” Danny didn’t know what the guy owning his hit had done to piss Silas off, and he honestly didn’t much care. He just wanted out, wanted to be done.

“Not much of a gambler, are you, Jersey?” Silas whistled. “Boy, you sure were that night I had your daughter. Would have given me the skin off your back to bargain for her, huh?”

Danny’s fist clenched. “Don’t talk about her, you filthy son of a bitch. I’m not interested. Whatever you’re offering, I’m not. Interested.” Danny gritted out. “I’m here to hold up the original deal. Nothing more.”

“Okay,” Silas sing-songed. “I was about to offer you your cash debt back, paid in full, plus interest, for two hits instead of one.” He flashed a cheeky grin, like he belonged on a used car lot. “Two hits instead of one, Danny, kill for me twice instead of once, and I’ll give you your money back. We both walk away, like none of this ever happened.” Silas paced another two steps towards Danny, nice and casual. He quirked up an eyebrow. “Sure you wanna pass that up?”

“You want these sons of bitches dead so bad, why don’t you just do it yourself?” Danny pressed.

Silas took an exaggerated gaze of his hands, flexing his fingers outward, then curling them in to study his nails. “It’s these hands, Jersey. Don’t really like to get ‘em dirty. See, once we start our little ‘business meeting’? I won’t even be here. It’ll just be you, my two soon to be deceased associates, and that pretty little gun I know you’ve got stashed in those pants. If you’re smart, you’ll leave before the blood is even dry.”

Fucking psychopath, Danny thought. He almost willed Kono to just put a bullet in him right then and there, but Danny couldn’t risk giving away their position before his business was finished.

Besides, she didn’t need that kill on her hands. If anyone was going down for murder tonight, it would be Danny, and Danny alone.

“Ah! Gentlemen.” Silas called out to the two imposing men who had just walked into the barn. Danny could see the outline of their guns underneath their dark coats, and if he had been a lesser man he would have been intimidated at the evil, determined look in their eyes. “We were just talking about you.”

Silas looked at Danny, then back at his traitorous henchmen. “Should have taken the deal, Danny. Because it’s two on your hands, and now I’ll still take the cash.”

The guy on the right rested a hand against his gun. “Boss?” he questioned Silas.

“I believe Daniel here has something to discuss with you, gentlemen. I’d say it was a pleasure, but, well.” Silas waved a hand and started to back away, towards the rear door of the barn.

“Trust me, you son of a bitch.” Danny pulled his gun on Silas, and put one right between the eyes. “The pleasure is all mine.”

“Danny, _down!”_ Steve yelled, but Danny was way ahead of him. He had dropped right after shooting Silas, knowing he had only seconds before the other two goons pulled their guns.

Lucky for Danny, he also knew he had backup.

Steve, Chin and Kono all fired at the same time, and Silas’s two former associates hadn’t even gotten the chance to fully draw on Danny before Five-0 took them out.

“Danny.” Steve sank to his knees in the sawdust and tipped Danny’s chin upwards, his eyes roaming Danny’s face and body for injuries. “You okay?”

Danny reached up and wrapped a hand around Steve’s wrist. “I’m fine, babe. Lungs a little full of barn floor shit dust but I’m fine.” Steve’s eyes were still wide, still darting between Danny and the barn, ready simultaneously wanting to clear the area and stay by Danny’s side.

“Steve.” Danny cupped Steve’s face. “Really. I’m fine.” The adrenaline whooshed out of Danny’s body, and only sheer willpower kept him from slumping against Steve. It was over. After all this time, it was over.

“Yeah, Danno. It’s over.” Danny hadn’t realized he had spoken aloud until he heard Steve’s reassuring agreement.

“Steve?” Somewhere in the background Danny heard Chin and Kono calling in the situation, requesting clean-up, but his attention was all on Steve.

“Yeah, Danno?”

Danny’s heart swelled, and he knew he would never stop ragging Steve about the nickname as sure as he would never stop wanting Steve to use it. “Let’s go home.”

Steve’s breath came out as a half laugh half sob, and he yanked Danny into his arms and squeezed him tight. “Yeah, Danno. Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Series complete. Thanks for sticking with me, lovelies. This AU was fun to write and explore. Thanks for all the love!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Check out my original debuts at www.autumnmckayne.com  
> Twitter - @autumnmckayne


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